Features
Partisanship threatens Ghana than Coronavirus
The current threat to the developmental agenda of every nation is the COVID-19 pandemic. It has devastated economies we thought were beyond shocks. Countries which were considered the leaders in medicine and solid health infrastructure have been reduced to ruins or nothing , resulting in the deaths of its citizens in thousands.
In Ghana, it led to a shutdown of major cities in the country and the closure of our borders, which resulted in a negative impact on our economy. Through prudent management of the pandemic, a number of infections and deaths were reduced to the extent that , Ghana was acclaimed as one of the top 10 managers of the pandemic in the world until recently that we let our guards down as a people.
The surge in new infections is now becoming very alarming but the threat it poses compared with the partisanship being displayed in our body politic pales into insignificance.
Party politics is a win or lose affair and ,therefore, the degree of competition is very high to the point of even high degree animosity. When we bring our attention home to Ghana and observe our political scene, there is no doubt that our politicians and other political actors are doing all in their power to paint each other as the problem to the nation.
In such an environment, whatever the other does is not commended and it has become a fault finding enterprise which does not augur well for the nation’s development.
Politics has become something like try as hard as possible to paint your rivals as the devil’s incarnate so that the masses will reject them. Things have got to the extent that almost everything that the ruling party does, the opposition will find fault with it. When the roles are reversed the same thing happens and the nation is the loser at the end of it all.
Everything has been so politicised that we have reached a stage where the term ‘winner takes all’ has been introduced into the political scene in Ghana. Everything is either NDC or the NPP and it has got to the point where every decision taken by the party in government is taken as a politically influenced decision.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has declared that he wants the city of Accra to become the cleanest city in Africa but it will be extremely difficult to achieve if this political undermining situation does not stop. Part of the dirt on our streets in our city is the congestion on our walkways, creation of slums by putting containers at unapproved places etc.
Decongestion is one of the surest ways to make the city clean yet the city authorities are unable to implement it due to political considerations. When they move in to clear the streets you are bound to hear the opposition party or parties criticising the government for lack of sympathy and lack of appreciation of the difficult times the people are in. This is done to make political capital out of it..
This always causes the government to hold back on the decongestion and the cost to the nation in terms of choked gutters and the resultant flooding with accompanying loss of lives and property is so huge. This is a threat to our nation’s development more than the COVID-19 which can be controlled by observing the prevention protocols.
Recently as part of the vetting towards the confirmation of the President’s nominees, the Minister-designate of Ministry of Roads said that he would like to introduce tolls that would help generate income for the construction of roads.
This has generated a lot of buzz in the media landscape and while the ruling party’s supporters are hailing it as a good initiative, the opposition supporters see it as a bad initiative. Meanwhile, they are not professing any valid alternative, just criticising it.
The motive behind it is that, when the government is able to improve the road infrastructure, the populace would support the government and vote to retain it in power hence the opposition will lose out. How can we build a nation like this?
Partisanship is definitely a threat to our development. The benefits of good roads to the nation is invaluable and should be something that every right thinking person must eagerly support but due to partisanship considerations, some people are kicking against it.
Ghana lags behind the developed nations by at least 50 years. There is ,therefore, the need to hurry up and try to catch up in various spheres of our development and we must not allow partisanship considerations to deprive us of the needed initiatives to advance our growth as a nation.
The people must vote against any party that seeks its parochial interests above that of the nation. President Joe Biden of the USA said “…Democracy is fragile” and we should not allow partisanship considerations to lead our nation into chaos.
Events leading to the determination of the 2020 election petition at the Supreme Court was another clear example of partisanship considerations, resulting in people who should know better, making statements intended to cast a slur on the reputation of our highest court in the land.
Look at the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme that was proposed by the then opposition candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in the period leading to the 2012 elections. A very brilliant and far reaching programme that had the potential of transforming our country.
The ruling party at the time(DNC), seeing it as a threat to its political fortunes, mounted a serious campaign against it, only to turn round and say in the 2020 elections that it was the NDC which started its implementation. Such dishonesty should not be tolerated and parties which indulge in it must be punished at the polls.
Every programme of government requires funds for its implementation and if we are to help the President achieve his vision of a “Ghana Beyond Aid” in the near future, then we have to throw away partisanship considerations. We must have a mindset of Ghana First, that is the only way we can really have our independence not when we depend on foreigners for a considerable portion of our budgetary requirements.
Partisanship which will prevent us from achieving a Ghana First agenda is therefore inimical to our development and must be treated with all the contempt it deserves. God Bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
The writer is a social commentator
Today, I focus on the Global Methodist Church in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland. I give special attention to the Ghanaian Methodist Fellowship, which is under the Global Methodist Church in Finland.
The Global Methodist Church in Finland is quite new, having split from the United Methodist Church Finland.
The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
Some history
The Methodist Church in Finland has existed for over 100 years since 1800s. It was conducted mainly in the Finnish language, according to Pastor Freeman Awuah. In 2012, a Finnish member of the Helsinki church and the then Mr Freeman Awuah, a Ghanaian immigrant who had joined the church, started bible studies which was turned into the English version of the church.
Many Ghanaians joined and they formed the Ghana Fellowship church within the Finnish Methodist church with services conducted in Twi.
In 2025, the Ghana Methodist Fellowship joined the Global Methodist Church and became quite well grounded. The Methodist Church generally does not have much influence in Finland as compared to the Lutheran and Orthodox churches. Even so, the Global Methodist Church currently has two branches, in Espoo and Lahti.
The Church has three ordained pastors, with the Finnish pastor as the leader of the church, assisted by Pastor Freeman Awuah (who was ordained a pastor a few years ago) and another Ghanaian pastor (Pastor Paul Brewu, who was recently ordained).
Activities and achievements of the Church
The Global Methodist Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11 in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. When the service is done in Finnish there is English translation, and there is the service by the Ghana Methodist Fellowship, which meets once a month.
There are other meetings on other days when the church has what is termed Community Fellowship (Bible Studies) on Tuesdays in English, Thursdays in Finnish and Fridays in Twi at 6 pm.
The Global Methodist Church in Finland continues to shepherd people in their religious lives for God’s glory. The church opens its doors to people of every nationality, including Finns, other Europeans, and other African migrants, aside those of Ghanaian origins.
“We are a family church because we are a family to other migrants and we care for the needs of each other or others in all situations that we can be of help.
For example, in the women’s group, we have an organisation in Finland which works to fight against human trafficking. The women’s group has also adopted an orphanage in Ghana where we help the less privileged ones”, Pastor Awuah revealed.
But there are also challenges, according to Pastor Freeman, as with any new group or institution that faces initial obstacles. Also, the COVID-19 situation brought a huge challenge such as physical resources and logistics. The lockdowns resulted in church services not conducted regularly, and done online. People are still interested in online worships than physical meetings, he said, adding: “We are trusting God to help”.
Impact of the Ghanaian migrant community
The Global Methodist Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
The Ghanaian community has great impact since majority of the church membership are of Ghanaian origin (about 60 per cent). There are other nationalities and it is thus a very multicultural body.
Integration
By its activities, the Global Methodist Church is thus helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Global Methodist Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
Email: perpetual.crentsil@yahoo.com
I picked Kwakyewa up, and we drove to the site on the Aburi road. We drove for some five minutes, and a security man opened the gate, and we entered the 40 acre plot secured with a fence wall.
‘Here we are. I have just started buying materials. I am planning on building one hundred apartments, and fifty top class houses’. ‘
David, are you telling me that this is all yours?’
‘Yes. All mine. I carefully engaged with the chief of the town, and his elders. I paid him all the arranged monies, in the presence of his people. And I have started work on a school building for the town, and I’m renovating his palace. When the block of houses is sold, I will invest the bulk of the funds here.
I will start with twenty houses, without taking any loan. When I sell them, then I will build many more’.
We went round the site, and spoke with the workers who were clearing the land. After an hour we went back in the car and drove off. ‘You are not saying anything, Kwakyewaa’. ‘
What can I say? It’s just incredible. I will stay for as long as you need me’.
Many thanks, Kwakyewaa.
I will count on your support. I will continue working with the EU for another couple of years, so I will be up north a lot of the time. So you will be in charge’. After spending another couple of hours at the city centre site, we decided on lunch’.
We got down at Sankofa, and I took her hand as we walked to take our seats. After taking a sip of my drink I looked across the big room and saw Abena staring at us, a look of utter shock on her face. She continued to stare as Kwakyewaa spoke about the changes she had to make due to her extended stay in Ghana. After a while I ignored her and focused on the discussion.
‘Now listen, Kwakyewaa, this is a most important part of what we have started to do, as a couple, and as business partners.
For starters, I would like you to prepare a budget of the expenses you need to make as a result of postponing your return and staying here for three months, and I will pay you the money.
In the coming days we will decide on how much money you need to be comfortable. Then, later on, we will take the bigger decisions resulting from continuing with the relationship.
Suddenly she got off from her seat, sat on my lap and hugged me, as the other guests watched in appreciation. Unfortunately I could not look in Abena’s direction.
We parted at the office at the close of day. Kwakyewa joined Eva and Robert for the drive home, as I drove home. Although I was playing my favourite jazz tunes, my head was spinning with thoughts of Kwakyewaa. Abena was beautiful, but Kwakyewaa was in a completely different league altogether.
And she combined queenly beauty with incredible sharpness of mind. She calculated business issues with ease, and she planned and recorded everything. And to top it all, it was obvious from the first day that she cared about me.
This time, business was going well, but the relationship side was also cool. This time, I could forget about Abena and her big ego and sharp tongue.
I sat to watch TV, but started feeling sleepy, so I rose to go and lie down when my phone rang. It was Kwakyewaa. ‘Bernard, Abena just came in. She’s furious. She’s throwing verbal bombs at Esaaba, saying things like “if you think you will insult me by fixing David Kwakyewaa, you are joking.
If I wanted Bernard I wouldn’t have thrown him out. David is junk. She can have him. I’ve gotten someone far better than him. You are all stupid”. ‘
And what did Esaaba say?’ asked.
‘We didn’t say anything. Which made her angrier, so she rained insults for quite some time, and went to her room’.
‘Nice one. It’s good you ignored her. Hey look! She has just sent me a message. Let me check and get back to you’.
I opened the message and read. ‘Bernard, so you are now Kwakyewaa’s boyfriend. Congrats. I thought you would spend sometime to improve yourself before trying to get a girlfriend, but obviously you think otherwise. Pray that she also doesn’t throw you out soon’. I sent her a reply.
‘Madam, I’m tired of your insults and lies. I will come and show this to Mom first thing tomorrow, and tell her about the things you have been saying about me. I may also do you a favour by telling her about a certain transaction by which Jennifer sold an arrogant girl for peanuts.
Goodnight’. She called me numerous times, but I did not pick her call. At six following morning, my doorbell rang, and I went to find Abena and Esaaba, and let them in. ‘David’, Esaaba said after I had offered them seats, I hear you have threatened to come and see Mom this morning to tell her about the message Abena sent to you. Well, we have come to apologize to you, not only for the message but also for anything she has said about you.
She says it will not happen again, so please forgive her, and cancel your plan of coming to see Mom’.
‘Yes, David’, Abena said. ‘I am very sorry. I promise it will never happen again’.
‘Okay. I accept your apology, even though the things you’ve been saying were not true, and they really hurt me, because I did not get the chance to defend myself to the people who heard it’.
‘And David’, Abena said, please do me a favour. ‘You said Jennifer sold me for peanuts. Is it true, or you were just rebutting what I said’.
‘Let’s do it this way’, I said. ‘Call Jennifer, and ask her if it is true that she was paid by your boyfriend for fixing you with him. I’ve heard he has not given her the full amount, so she has been calling him to demand the balance’. ‘I don’t believe it, but let me call her and see’.
She called Jennifer. After a few moments she started shedding tears. ‘Esaaba let’s go’, she said quietly. I walked them to the roadside and hired a taxi to take them home.
At the office a couple of hours later, Kwakyewaa came to sit by my desk and looked straight at my face.
‘So what happens now? Esaaba told me what transpired at your house. ‘What she does is none of my business. Maybe she will go and sort things out with her rich boyfriend’.
‘I was afraid she would decide to fight to have you back. I have been really worried’.
‘Are you joking? We have already agreed on what Esaaba calls a smooth transfer. We have a relationship, and I’m very pleased with it. Let’s make plans for the future as we agreed’.
‘Okay. I have already started implementing my plan. I have told my parents about you, and my plan. They have accepted it. From this evening, I will spend a lot of time with you, at your house. Now, let’s talk about activities for today’.
By Ekow de Heer
